For those tracking the ongoing investigation by the Senate Finance Committee investigation into conflicts of interest among academic researchers and industry funding, Charles Nemeroff was one of the targets. The former Emory University professor, who now works at the University of Miami, came to the committee’s attention because he was accepting sizeable consulting fees from GlaxoSmithKline at the same time he was the primary investigator on an NIH-funded grant for research into a Glaxo drug.

The Senate investigation, spearheaded by Chuck Grassley, the Iowa Republican, prompted Emory to suspend Nemeroff’s work on an NIH grant and asked him to step down as chair of psychiatry while it studied his conduct. And the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General began an inquiry into Emory’s handling of the episode. That was more than a year ago, though. So whatever happened to the HHS OIG’s effort?

A recent letter from the HHS OIG indicates that the probe is still under way and an update is expected some time in June. We know because we are familiar with the correspondence, although we can not provide a copy at this time. The outcome is unclear, of course, but the interest taken by the HHS OIG underscores the issue raised by Grassley, which is whether universities are fulfilling their requirements to adequately monitor disclosures in an effort to maintain scientific integrity and objectivity.